The Literal Meaning of Genesis
With these two cities intermingled to a certain extent in time, the world4® moves on until they will be separated at the last judgment. The one will be joined to the holy angels and, being united with its King, will attain eternal life; the other will be joined to the wicked angels and, being united with its king, will be sent into eternal fire. Concerning these two cities I shall perhaps write more at length in another book, if the Lord is willing.*7
CHAPTER 16
Satan fell at the very beginning of creation.
21. Scripture does not state when pride cast the Devil down, perverting his good nature with an evil will. But reason clearly tells us that this happened first; it was because of his pride that he envied man. Indeed, it is obvious to all who reflect on the matter that pride is not born of envy but rather envy of pride. One can with good reason suppose that at the beginning of time the Devil fell by pride, and that there had not been any previous time when he lived in peace and beatitude with the holy angels. On this supposition he apostatized from his Creator at the very beginning of creation. The words of our Lord, therefore, He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth,** should be understood in both parts of the statement as referring to what was from the beginning, namely, not only that he was a murderer but also that he stood not in the truth.
He was indeed a murderer beginning at that point at which man could be killed; but of course man could not be killed before there existed a man to be killed! From the beginning, therefore, the Devil was a murderer because he killed the first man, before whom there were no other men. And he stood not in the truth, and this from the beginning when he was created, although he would be standing now if he had wanted to stand.